The Chelsea Antiques Fair Gets Relaunched

From 21 to 26 September, the much-anticipated Chelsea Antiques Fair is returning to Chelsea Old Town Hall, King’s Road, London SW3 5EE. Leading dealers from across the UK will be exhibiting for the first time as the fair is relaunched with new organisers 2Covet, the prestige website for connoisseurs and collectors.

Sophie Wood, Fair Organiser, explains: “The highly-respected dealers Charles Wallrock and Steve Sly with Fair Director Zara Rowe have acquired the fair from Caroline Penman who, after organising some sixty-five Chelsea fairs, has decided it was time to hand over the baton to the next generation.”

“Now, reinforced by the foundations of the 2Covet online marketplace, we will be relaunching the fair and adding a significant number of new dealers to the list of exhibitors. It’s very exciting to take the fair forward, but above all we promise visitors there will be a superb display of exhibits coming to the Chelsea Old Town Hall this September.”

This new ownership will see the fair making the most of the building’s opulent architecture as a backdrop for the UK’s most respected and forward-thinking art and antiques dealers. It is with this strong mix of exhibitors that the fair will be harking back to its roots in the 1960s and ‘70s (the fair was established in 1951), when the fair, on the fashionable King’s Road, was a special social occasion attracting the most discerning art and antiques aficionados.

New exhibitors to the fair include Hansord from Lincolnshire, who have more than sixty years’ experience in art and antiques; Butchoff Antiques, the London dealers from Kensington Church Street and Palm Springs who specialise in the fine English, French and Italian furniture and objets d’art; Bowman Sculpture, specialising in European Romantic sculpture of the 19th century, and recognised as the foremost gallery in the world for sculpture by Auguste Rodin; Wick Antiques from Lymington, established by Charles Wallrock (now a co-owner of the Chelsea Fair) in the 1980s, providing English furniture with specialisms. 

Fileman Antiques from West Sussex, established in the 1890s, making them the fifth generation of family dealers; Steve Sly, the specialist in Meiji period Japanese works of art (1868-1912), the second co-owner of the fair; Hatchwell Antiques from the King’s Road, specialising in antique and vintage items; Kaye Michie, with watercolour and drawings from the 19th and 20th centuries in addition to contemporary works; Freya Mitton, specialising in Modern British paintings; and David Brooker Fine Art, from Southport, Connecticut, with English and European paintings.

Santos from London are well known for their fine stock of Chinese porcelain from the 15th to 19th centuries; Midlands dealer Andrew Muir in partnership with James Miles offers the finest decorative arts from 1880-1980; Martyn Downer from Cambridge specialises in extremely rare and important historical jewels, objects and artefacts; specialising in fine objets d’art, especially superb boxes of every design and usage, is Mark Goodger Antiques; Richard Price has a range of pieces, most notably fine French Louis XVI and Empire examples; also with timepieces is Timewise Vintage Watches, who specialise in vintage watches from high-end manufacturers.

Specialist dealers returning to the Chelsea Fair include Mary Cooke Antiques, showing fine English silver; Morgan Strickland Decorative Arts with fine pieces of Liberty metalwork, Archibald Knox and an extensive range of Jugendstil, Secession and Darmstadt, Wiener Werkstatte, WMF, Kayserzinn, Osiris and Art Glass; and Farnham Antique Carpets with a wide range of Persian carpets and rugs. 

Regular visitors will also welcome T.Robert with jewellery and fine silver; Brown Elliott specialising in furniture; Carolyn Stoddart-Scott showing porcelain and pottery; Mary Cooke Antiques with fine antique silver; The Hunt Gallery from Sandwich showcasing the work of artist Michal Hunt; Philip Carroll, with fine and rare porcelain; and Brian Watson Antique Glass specialising in English pieces and 18th to 20th century Bohemian, German and French glass.

As a reminder, the fair will be taking place Tuesday 21 to Sunday 26 September 2021. Tickets are £10 (admits 2), and you can learn more about the fair and opening times on their website.